Lookin' at new rifles in .260 on GB. Wondering what drastic differences could be for the few $$ between the two?? All-weather 700's are common; but not in .260. Found a few Tikkas that are within a few bux of the Big R ; but know nichts about 'em..other than gunshow rumors an Innanet gossip ;)

If I'm gonna drop close to $700 on a crank gun, it's gonna hafta be a dime shooter AND be truck proof :D
Glass will be the next big decision; but will prolly end up with a Leupold VX-II in the 4-16 range.

BTW...
THis will be my ONLY fudd gun and I want the most versatility. I've done my due-diligence and decided that the .260 comes as close to fuggin' perfect ballistically. Ev'rything from whistle-pigs to PA deer and double as a "tactical" if needed ;)

TIA ,
Paul

SteveW

December 28, 2009, 14:59

I can't help with the Remmy/Tikka decision, but just wanted to support the choice of caliber if (and only if) you are a reloader. Very versatile round, but not a lot of good factory loaded stuff out there. Good luck.

Were I an the same place, I would choose the Tikka, just to have something different.

S.

Regal Beagal

December 28, 2009, 17:30

Personally, I am a Browning fan but have owned Remmies in the past to only sell them and go with the Browning Abolt and now the Xbolt. As far as the Tikka I have a buddy of mine that has their latest tactical configuration in .308 and it shoots hole on hole with hand loads. Very accurate and it has the 60 degree bolt turn where the Remmy is 80-85 degrees. Faster manipulation for follow-up shots. It impressed me so much I am actually thinking about getting one myself. As far as the .260, it is a very good round. Alot of grains to play with. My only other caliber that I would consider over the .260 is the .264 win mag....now that's a go getter with multiple grain bullets to play around with and a tad bit higher velocity. But, either is a great round for prairie dogs to deer.

Deltaten

December 28, 2009, 19:05

No problems on the reloading. I could whip some up right quick :D
Just saw Hornady's new 6.5 Creedmoor...wow... virtually same ballistics in a short action. Looks like a blown out, necked down 6.8 !!

With the kind of performance and terminal ballistics a .260 delivers; I don't think I need all the ooomph of a .264 mag :)

one hand clapping

December 28, 2009, 20:42

I only have experience with my long action rem700-300win mag. I think your ok with either choice. I'm totaly sastified with the rem although I had a trigger job and put a three quarter inch Douglas heavy barrel with pillar bedding on it. Not exactly a good long walk toter [unless your wearing it on your back], shoots great and ya just have to think at the trigger for it to drop. Do you want one out of the box or might a custom build better suit your disscriminating needs?
"prolly dint halp much" but thought I'd say HI to ya Paul.
HAPPY nEW yEAR
ONE HAND CLAPPING

Andy the Aussie

December 28, 2009, 21:03

Tikka mate a fine rifle.... if you like their style and detachable magazines (not all models have this) you would be well pleased with their product....!!!

ftierson

December 28, 2009, 21:18

Hard to believe that it only took a century for Remington and Hornady to come close to equaling the 6.5x55mm Swedish...

Just sayin'...

Then again, you do save an extraordinary amount of weight by going to a short action (he said, trying to keep a straight face).

Neither of these comments should be viewed negatively concerning the .260 Remington cartridge, which is actually pretty good. :)

Of the two rifles mentioned, I would buy the Remington. Although I think that the Tikkas are all right, they're not Sakos...

I wouldn't have a Browning A-Bolt, both because I think that Browning has reduced the strength of the receiver by at least half by slabbing the sides of the front receiver to give it that distinctive A look and because the use of the new 32 tpi fine thread on the barrel/receiver makes the rifles somewhat disposable and makes the stainless ones nearly impossible to rebarrel (removing the barrel galls the threads and ruins the rifle). If FN is using the 32 tpi fine threads on the new Winchester Model 70s (I haven't pulled one apart yet), I wouldn't touch one of them either.

Them's my opinions and we all know what opinions are like...

And, Happy New Year, Paul...:)

Forrest

splattermatic

December 29, 2009, 09:42

go with the remngton, plain and simple.
there are sooo many upgrades and customizing parts available over the tika.
also a dbm on a tika is plastic and break, as well as loseable, and limits oal to customize the seating depth.

if by some strange chance it doesn't shoot, rebarreling is simple, with many pulled barrels out there cheap. i have a 260 remington mtn rifle with dbm. the barrel was pencil thin, and shot like shit. i tried evereything to get it to shoot, from different bedding, to bullets, to powder, to seating depths. it was just plain shit... i bought a 7mm-08 barrel on line for 30 bucks shipped, and took george and i about a 1/2 hour to debarrel, and rebarrel. checked headspace and it was perfect, heck even the writing lined up !
first load down the tube shot a 3/4 inch group.

many different mounts, triggers, stocks, etc....
tikas are great rifles, but options are limited.

if ya get a 260, lemme know, i have brass i'll trade ya for 243 and or 7mm-08, or sell cheap.

also a 260 is a fine cartridge, with lil bullets to bigger, great sd's and bc's, but a 7mm-08 has more bullets available with about the same recoil.
my new 7mm-08 is running a 140 accubond over 2800 fps.
i have 3 stocks for it now, this is the testing one, as i have a real purdy one that i didn't want to mess up bedding and unbedding,etc..
this is going to be a project in a gunsmithing class at the colleg starting in january.
gonna flute the barrel and bolt, cut holes in the bolt handle, and do a better bedding job in this stock and the other walnut one.
if i mess up the barrel, so, i can change it out for cheap.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/splattermatic/0b2b5849.jpg

Deltaten

December 29, 2009, 09:43

Years back, I had a Rem 788...all tricked out like a silk purse from a... well, yanno.;). The latest editions I've seen haven't really impressed me all that much. I *have* handled a Tikka; but not to shoot.

Forrest... I went and looked at Sako's offerings. Right putry lookin'; but it seems they don't have a .260....only 6.5x55.... still an option :D *and* I still have dies for that LOL

OHC; A 300 mag!! :eek: Lotsa Rem long action about, if I want a shoulder-bruiser :D Some in the selected cal. are around; but I'm not so sure I wanna plunk down serious money and still hafta get a trigger put in and have it bedded and 'printed.

I suppose that I'll hang in there and keep my eyes peeled for a .260 of any common variety. IF I can find one inexpensive enuff, I'll get 'er done up proper. Both conventional wisdom and my calculator tell me that converting one of my Mausers isn't the way to go; so the search continues.

Happy New Year to all :D
Paul

splattermatic

December 29, 2009, 10:35

no need for a trigger, remmy's are easy to adjust out of the lawyer settings.

I'd buy a new Tikka before I buy another new Remington, and I own 5 Remington rifles pre 1998 and 1 Tikka. If on the other hand you can find a 10 year old Remington (before the J lock monstrosity) in new condition, buy it.

one hand clapping

December 29, 2009, 11:27

Shoulder bruiser ? come now ,as a girl I'm allowed to use a GOOD recoil pad,and do. [although it does thump about the same as my 50BMG]
Just say'n

SteveW

December 29, 2009, 12:12

Well, seeing as you mentioned the 6.5 Creedmoor..

http://demigodllc.com/articles/6.5-shootout-260-6.5x47-6.5-creedmoor/

IMHO (and it's worth all you paid for it) as you are a reloader, a blued and walnut Sako in 6.5x55 would be the 'right' thing to do.. :rofl:

M2A2

December 29, 2009, 17:54

I would go with the tikka. I have several Remmingtons they are nice... ok... A friend of mine has a tikka in .243 it put them all in one hole. very nice . I had my doubts but its a great rifle.

jomo04

December 29, 2009, 18:40

If you are only planning on using this as a hunting rifle I would go with the Tikka. Mine is a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless chambered in 30-06 and is an absolute tack driver. Recoil is surprisingly mild for such a light gun, and it has a great trigger (adjustable too, but I haven't touched mine). 175gr MatchKings and a healthy dose of IMR4895 yield sub-MOA accuracy. It also shoots the 125gr Ballistic Tips into about the same groupings. I'm sure the .260 would be as accurate or more accurate than my '06.

http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac101/joemorrey/DSC02787.jpg

I also just bought a Rem 700 Varmint .308 heavy barrel because I wanted to start working on a long range rig. It's a great gun too, but the action isn't nearly as smooth and the overall machining isn't what the Tikka's is. It has taken me a decent amount of work to get the Remy shooting well, and admittedly there is a larger aftermarket for the 700 platform, but if you are just looking for a gun that is ready to go right out of the box it will be hard to beat the Tikka.

If you do go with the Tikka you should consider the 6.5x55 as all Tikka's are long actions anyhow and the 6.5x55 can handle some very heavy bullets.

EDIT: I also forgot to mention that the Tikka was and is the only rifle that I've mounted a brand new optically centered scope on and been dead on at 100yds. I was literally in a 2" bullseye at 100yds without touching the elevation/windage knobs. That is precise manufacturing!

John Crusher

December 29, 2009, 19:02

Tikka. I've got a little .308 that I'll NEVER sell. JMO

lightning 351

December 29, 2009, 20:14

tikka.i have the heavy barrel 308 and its a 1 hole gun.VERY,VERY smooth.there is more stuff for the remy tho.and as the poster above said,i almost didnt have to adjust the scope after i mounted it.it was pretty much right on.only gun ive ever seen do this.

ramiller

December 30, 2009, 09:04

You might consider a Winchester model 70 FN produced Patrol Rife in .308 I have pleased with the one I have purchased through cddn

SmokeEater2

December 30, 2009, 19:16

I bought a Tikka several years back and after using that sweet lil' thing I'll never go back to Remington.

The Tikka came out of the box with a butter smooth action and the best factory trigger I've seen other than C. Sharps rifles. After trying it out, my buddy who's a life long Remmy fan bought himself a Tikka. Damn fine rifles imho.

Andy the Aussie

December 30, 2009, 19:55

Of course if you want some class Sako does shine....just say'n is all.... ;)

Yes mate, same parent company (since the late 80s or so as I recall). Both brand were very big here with Sako considered the cream of the crop (I have two ;) ).

Andy:beer: :beer:

catmguy445

December 31, 2009, 12:38

Both Sako and Tikka are owned by Beretta. The Tikka has the smoothes action I've ever seen or felt in a factory rifle, and they're guaranteed to shoot MOA groups out of the box with factory ammo, they come with scope rings from the factory, plus they use a detachable mag, which is a plus in my book. I currently own bolt guns by Remington (two 788's), Steyr (SSG P1 with Zeiss glass), Browning (A-bolt in .270 Win), and one original 1903 Springfield, but if I ever buy another bolt action rifle, it'll be a Tikka. They're definitely the best bang for the buck currently available.

There is so much aftermarket stuff available for the Remington 700 because the 700 needs improvement after you buy it. The Tikka doesn't.

Beepy

December 31, 2009, 17:25

Hey jomo04,

What scope is that?

Deltaten

December 31, 2009, 17:46

OK!!

Tikka site sez they make both the hunter and the varmint/special in s.s. .260; but none to be found in the usual places. ANother forum posted that (perhaps) they don't even import that T3 model in that cal. here!!!!!!!!

Guess I'll hafta see if one can be ordered summere's:D

the gman

December 31, 2009, 22:32

I know Splat likes Remington but I just don't care for them at all. I have precisely one in my stable & that's cuz it was customized into a .338 Lapua.

Handled a very nice T3 Lite SS rifle in the pawn shop the other day, really, really NICE! Good price too: $750 ish complete with VX-II silver scope to match. If I was in the market for a new rifle, that one there would have come home with me right then. Bolt is silky smooth & safety locks the bolt like it should (unlike them junky Remington rifles :tongue: ) & I know they should shoot very well indeed.

I'm currently building a .22-.243 wildcat on a Tikka action & I expect it to be a tack driver for sure. Tikka were some of the favorite rifles of many Brit LE snipers, particularly in .22-250 cuz they were just so damn accurate right out of the box.

I took a look at my distributor's listings for Tikka & didn't see a .260 listed anywhere. Lemme know if you want me to pester the crap outta the Beretta folks at SHOT this year & I'll see if I can't find you one.

Alternatively, just go with the 6.5x55, one hell of a round that I have a real soft spot for or, as Splat sez, the 7mm-08 is a good balance too with way more bullet selection.

No matter what, the Tikka is superior to the Remington so that would be my vote........:devil: :devil: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Deltaten

January 01, 2010, 02:16

George:
I wonder if the "light" will be stiff enuff??? I see the varmint/special seems ta have a heavier bbl. And yes, IF I can't find a .260, I will. THo I'm not so reluctantly settle for a 6.5 X 55;) Tikka site shows twist for all offerings, Seems the .260 and the 6.5 have an 8" twist...must be that exceptional bullet shape! Guess I could always down load it; but, if Forrest can handle one...so can I :D
Also perused the Ruger m77 compact in .260; but I don't think a pencil, 16 1/2" bbl will take advantage of tha round..especially for more $$$

thanx guys.. the Tikka has the nod... now ta find one. :rolleyes: If one don't turn up in reasonable time, I'll take you up on that offer George. Almost like they don;t wanna bopther to import them, as Rem and ruger have saturated the market???

Another vote for 6.5x55, but I already said that. Old Italian
proverb : Vote Early, Vote Often.

the gman

January 01, 2010, 10:32

Hey Paul, ya need to look at the Beretta USA site rather than Tikka's site: link (https://www.berettausa.com/e2wProductGroupDetailDropDown.aspx?parentid=410000 1552&parentLink=2100000084:3100001363:3100001372:410000 1552)

I can assure you that the T3 Lite I handled had a sufficiently stiff barrel for most any need, save serious varminting & I figure that the barrel would just heat up too quick when whacking the heck out of lotsa varmints.....:D Again, I'll ask around on the Beretta stand, prolly some guys over there I know & see if a .260 didn't sneak in or if they have plans to bring it in, can't see why they wouldn't but who knows??

As to scopes? I've always been partial to Leupold Vari X-III but that's been replaced by the VX-3 line & frankly, I'm gonna be taking a real close hard look at the Redfield line re-introduced by Leupold this year. One of the stands I'm gonna be spending time on this year at SHOT is the Redfield as I think Leupold have hit one out of the park with this line.

Real 'click' values instead of the friction dials of the Rifleman, VX-I & some of the VX-II line, good glass, nice finish, reviews say they are tracking right & best of all, a lifetime warranty backed by Leupold. My dealer price is way under $200 for the 4-12x40 & that's all I'll ever need for 99% of the shooting I do.

Looks promising at the very least.:beer:

Deltaten

January 01, 2010, 11:11

Awwww.. rats! No return on search for any .260 data; so apparently Beretta is not bringing any in ...Oh well!

Next best might be to do as you have and see if I can rustle up an action or unloved rifle and re-bbl with someone or other's .260 offering???
Might get a wee bit more spendy thatways tho......

:D

chet

January 01, 2010, 21:31

Another vote for the Tikka T3. I have a Lite Stainless in .308 and it served me and my boy well in Africa. Zeiss Conquest in Talley rings. Many, many one shot kills on various medium and small game. Great action, great trigger. Detach mags are expensive as all get out but the cost of the rifle more than makes up for that. Our first Impala in South Africa:
http://i387.photobucket.com/albums/oo315/chet07/safari2009/DSC01121.jpg

I am not aware of a factory 260. I doubt it will be forthcoming with the popularity of the 6.5 Swede. The classic 6.5 will not handicap you at all in a bolt gun, especially if you are setting up to roll yer own.

Here's a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in 6.5 Swede at Bud's. Email them to see how far they are below the $579 MAP:
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_445/products_id/23566

jomo04

January 01, 2010, 22:11

Beepy: That is a SWFA SuperSniper 10x42 scope. Excellent optics for the money ($330ish); it's the best value under $800 in my opinion.

I vote for the 6.5x55, it's as useful as the .260, if not more so in a modern rifle.

the gman

January 02, 2010, 01:02

Originally posted by Deltaten
Awwww.. rats! No return on search for any .260 data; so apparently Beretta is not bringing any in ...Oh well!

Next best might be to do as you have and see if I can rustle up an action or unloved rifle and re-bbl with someone or other's .260 offering???
Might get a wee bit more spendy thatways tho......

:D

You bet it will get spendy! I was lucky; walked into Petersons gunshop in Abq about 4 years ago & got looking at this .308 marked as an Ithaca. When I saw 'Bofors Barrel Steel' on the barrel I looked closer & lo & behold, it was a Tikka LSA-55 & for the outrageous price of $325.....:eek: :biggrin: I casually walked over to the checkout & bought the sucker right there & then!:D

Wish I could find more of those deals......:beer:

Deltaten

January 02, 2010, 20:54

Hey Chet!!

Thanx for the link to Bud's. Quite the discount on Tikka!!!!!!!
Good looking antelope. Good ta see you and the boy so well involved

Best,
Paul

chet

January 02, 2010, 23:37

No sweat Paul. Bud's has good prices on lots of firearms. I hope you enjoy your Tikka as much as I have mine. I think you are right about the 6.5 making a great all around caliber. Great BC, great SD, superb accuracy and suitability for small and medium game. They only reason I chose the .308 over the 6.5x55 was due to already having FALs in the safe.

Hey Paul, now that the Files is up & running again, scoop from the guys on the Beretta stand at Shot is that they have no plans to bring in the .260 unless there is a real demand for the caliber from their dealers.

They weren't aware of any being in the country so that kinda screws that.

On the other hand, you do get the chance to go play with 6.5x55 which I think is a much better caliber anyway......:biggrin: :cool:

ftierson

January 24, 2010, 12:45

Originally posted by the gman
On the other hand, you do get the chance to go play with 6.5x55 which I think is a much better caliber anyway......:biggrin: :cool:

Finest cartridge on earth...:)

And at least the Tikka T3 Stainless is available in 6.5x55mm. I'm not sure about the blue version...

Forrest

Deltaten

January 25, 2010, 11:12

Yea.. thanks George... that's what I figger'd. Not much call for imported when there's three or so internal mfgrs filling the niche :D

What I was hoping for in the .260 was the ability to drop down to 95 gr or so bullets for varmints and allaways up to the 140's for bigger stuff. The case capacity on the Swede *may* be just a tad too lg to allow the teensie-weensie pills ta be used ???

looks like it's gonna be the Swede cart... now ta see if the Varmint/special are offered ;)

ftierson

January 25, 2010, 12:19

Originally posted by Deltaten
Yea.. thanks George... that's what I figger'd. Not much call for imported when there's three or so internal mfgrs filling the niche :D

What I was hoping for in the .260 was the ability to drop down to 95 gr or so bullets for varmints and allaways up to the 140's for bigger stuff. The case capacity on the Swede *may* be just a tad too lg to allow the teensie-weensie pills ta be used ???

looks like it's gonna be the Swede cart... now ta see if the Varmint/special are offered ;)

When I was a kid (back in the stone age), I used to load the Norma 87 grain spitzer in the 6.5x55mm for woodchucks (shooting them mostly in western New York).

I shot them out of a M94 Swedish Carbine and they shot very well indeed. And, out of the short barrel, they cooked the woodchuck with the muzzle flash even if you missed them with the bullet...:)